Today, I’m freezing parsnips. You know, I had never even heard of parsnips until I was an adult. I did not grow up eating these and had no idea what to do with them. My husband, on the other hand, grew up with a big garden and veggies that are foreign to me. I am sooooo very glad he introduced me to parsnips and a few other less common crops (at least not common to me!).
In case you’re unfamiliar with parsnips, they are a root vegetable with a flavor like a cross between carrot and rutabaga or carrot and turnip. You treat them similar to the way you’d treat a carrot. I suppose they’re an acquired taste, but I really, really like them!
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Can you Freeze Parsnips
You can can parsnips, but know that they come out pretty soft. If you like mashed parsnips, canning would be perfect. But I like them with a little bit more texture, so I just freeze them.
Then, when I want to use them, I thaw them out and roast them in the oven with some butter and garlic salt. They’re really tasty that way! (You don’t have to peel parsnips if you’re freezing them, but if you do can parsnips, make sure to peel them first.)
Freezing Parsnips: Step-by-Step Instructions
Scrub the parsnips to remove dirt. (If you want to peel them, do so with a vegetable peeler.)
Cut off the tips and top ends (stems).
Chop into bite-sized pieces. (Depending on how fat they are, I sometimes cut them in half first.)
Put the pieces in a basket. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Dunk the basket and parsnips into the boiling water, and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water, and rinse with cold water. Drain well. Let the parsnips cool.
Place your blanched parsnips into labeled freezer bags and freeze.
note: If you don’t have a blancher and only have a small amount of food you can always just use a big slotted spoon to scoop them out of the blanching water.
There you have it: freezing parsnips, the super easy and fast way to preserve this less-common vegetable.
They purpose of blanching is to protect the flavor and color of foods. Blanching stops enzyme actions and make the food last longer. However… it is a quality issue. If you know you’ll be using these up within a month or so, you could try not blanching.
I always blanch mine.
Freezing Parsnips: FAQs & Tips
What Type of Blancher is That?
I have had many comments on the strainer I use in my kitchen. I absolutely love it and recommend it.
It is Polder Brand and is available at Amazon. If you are interested, here is my affiliate link: Polder Strainer
Do You Have to Blanch Parsnips Before Freezing Them?
Some people don’t blanch vegetables for freezing. I recommend blanching, however, because there are enzymes in vegetables that (even if they’re frozen) will start breaking down things. Blanching stops that action, making your vegetables freeze a bit nicer.
Tips for Using Parsnips
I shared this video on FB and got some great tips and ideas on how to use parsnips from the people there! All kinds of ideas shared. Here are a few:
Susan says: Around here we let them sit in the ground until Easter. Tradition in my family to have them then before they start growing again. Then they get canned or frozen.
Sharon says: I’ve done this with carrots and it works great. I covered mine with straw bales. 🙂 We overwinter our chickens in the garden, so for the most part, they would dig them up. That is why I was freezing these. But in-the-ground storage works great too.
Sara says: Love parsnips! Just put some in a chicken pot pie and not sure my daughter will eat potato soup anymore without them!
Reg says: LOVE parsnips. I roast parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips together in a recipe called Your Grandmother’s Vegetables.
Recipe Card
Freezing Parsnips
Instructions for freezing parsnips. In case you’re unfamiliar with parsnips, they remind me of a cross between carrot and rutabaga or carrot and turnip. I love them!
Scrub parsnips to remove dirt, peeling if desired.
Cut off tips and stems.
Chop into bite-sized pieces.
Bring water to a boil. Blanch parsnips for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from water and allow to cool.
Place in freezer bags/containers.
Remove air, seal, and label.
Freeze.
Author: Sharon Peterson
Related Pages
Freezing Spinach and Other Greens
Freezing spinach requires blanching to ensure freshness and proper freezing results. Keep fresh spinach on hand all year long for smoothies, soups, and more at SimplyCanning.com.
Freezing Herbs
Freezing herbs like basil, oregano, sage, and parsley are all covered in our free guide on preserving your spices fresh all winter long. Pick up some new skills here.
Freezing Vegetables
Freezing vegetables can be a good alternative to canning – especially when you don’t have enough for a full canner.
Place chilled, well-drained parsnips in a single layer on shallow trays or pans.Place in freezer until firm, then quickly transfer to labeled bags or containers. If using rigid containers, no headspace is necessary. If using flexible bags or wrap, remove as much air as possible.
The blanched parsnips can also be frozen for up to a month. We suggest open freezing them on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (parchment paper) until solid, then transferring the frozen parsnips to a resealable bag or airtight container. Roast direct from frozen, following the instructions above.
You can freeze parsnips raw without blanching them first. Clean, peel, trim, and cut them into pieces. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. However, they won't keep as long (only 2 or 3 months compared to up to a year) and they won't maintain their texture and quality as well as blanched parsnips.
A lot of the parsnip flavor is close to the skin, so I recommend scrubbing your parsnips well instead of peeling them! But if you do choose to peel them, try to peel them thinly to make the most flavorful roasted parsnips possible.
Drop into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Drain well and lay out in a single layer on a baking tray to dry out and cool completely. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours, then put in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month.
Place chilled, well-drained parsnips in a single layer on shallow trays or pans. Place in freezer until firm, then quickly transfer to labeled bags or containers. If using rigid containers, no headspace is necessary. If using flexible bags or wrap, remove as much air as possible.
You can skip straight to roasting, but parboiling the parsnips first will help prevent dry or chewy parsnips. To parboil, put whole or halved parsnips in salted, boiling water and cook for 8 minutes or until slightly tender.
Cook from frozen, in a hot oven, 220°C. Lay veg on a tray – you can add some sprigs of thyme to the tray if you wish more flavors. They should take 35-40 min from frozen (20min if defrosted first, but better cooked from frozen).
Prepare the parsnips: Start by washing the parsnips thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris. Use a knife to trim off the ends and peel the outer skin. Cut the parsnips: Once the parsnips are cleaned, slice them into uniform pieces. This will ensure that they cook evenly during the blanching process.
Store in the refrigerator in an unsealed bag for 3+ weeks. If a raw parsnip becomes soft and squishy, this is a sign of rot and it should no longer be eaten.
Turning your parsnips halfway through cooking will ensure an even golden colour all over. Make sure that your parsnips don't overlap each other during the cooking process, as this will steam them, rather than roast them, resulting in a soggy parsnip!
Parsnips are a sweetish root vegetable. I often serve them with a little butter and honey and they go very well with lamb. Parsnips, together with carrots and maybe some celeriac to add depth of flavour, make an excellent soup.
The trick is to keep the parsnips say 1 inch thick or so, so they have a chance to crisp up. Giving them a blanche in boiling water first also helps to make these crispy during roasting.
Just like with Roast Potatoes, part boiling them before roasting is the trick. Removing the core is the other trick. With these methods combined, my roast parsnips are soft and tender with no nasty stringy or chewy bits.
When freezing parsnips, scrub and peel the root, chop into small bite-size pieces, boil them for 2 to 3 minutes, and leave to cool. Then simply place them into labelled freezer bags and keep in the freezer for up to 12 months.
You can skip straight to roasting, but parboiling the parsnips first will help prevent dry or chewy parsnips. To parboil, put whole or halved parsnips in salted, boiling water and cook for 8 minutes or until slightly tender.
Cook from frozen, in a hot oven, 220°C. Lay veg on a tray – you can add some sprigs of thyme to the tray if you wish more flavors. They should take 35-40 min from frozen (20min if defrosted first, but better cooked from frozen).
Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of carrots deteriorates. Make sure you blanch the veg to preserve these elements.
Put your vegetables on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze uncovered, making sure they're not touching for at least 1 hour (this stops them from sticking together). Once they're hard, transfer into a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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